Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb danser

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The English translation of the French verb danser is “to dance.” The infinitive form of danser is pronounced as “dahn-say.”

The language origin of danser can be traced back to the Latin word “danciare,” which means “to dance.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has been used in various contexts ever since.

In everyday French, the verb danser is commonly used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense to express a past action that is hypothetical or uncertain. This tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the Plus-que-parfait tense, followed by the past participle of danser.

Here are three simple examples of danser in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. J’aurais dansé toute la nuit si j’avais eu plus d’énergie.
    Translation: I would have danced all night if I had had more energy.

  2. Elle aurait dansé avec lui si elle n’avait pas été si timide.
    Translation: She would have danced with him if she hadn’t been so shy.

  3. Nous serions arrivés plus tôt si nous avions pris le temps de danser.
    Translation: We would have arrived earlier if we had taken the time to dance.

Table of the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of danser

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je eusse dansé J’aurais aimé que je eusse dansé. I wish I had danced.
tu eusses dansé J’aurais aimé que tu eusses dansé. I wish you had danced.
il eût dansé J’aurais aimé qu’il eût dansé. I wish he had danced.
elle eût dansé J’aurais aimé qu’elle eût dansé. I wish she had danced.
on eût dansé J’aurais aimé qu’on eût dansé. I wish one had danced.
nous eussions dansé J’aurais aimé que nous eussions dansé. I wish we had danced.
vous eussiez dansé J’aurais aimé que vous eussiez dansé. I wish you had danced.
ils eussent dansé J’aurais aimé qu’ils eussent dansé. I wish they had danced.
elles eussent dansé J’aurais aimé qu’elles eussent dansé. I wish they had danced.

Other Conjugations for Danser.

   
    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb danser
    (this article)

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

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Danser – About the French Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense

The French Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait, also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive, is a verb tense used to express actions or states that occurred before another action in the past, and it’s used in situations where the indicative mood is in the past subjunctive or conditional mood.
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

To form the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait, you start with the imperfect subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être,” followed by the past participle of the main verb. 
For “avoir” verbs: Take the imperfect subjunctive form of “avoir” (e.g., j’eusse, tu eusses, il/elle eût, nous eussions, vous eussiez, ils/elles eussent). Add the past participle of the main verb. 
For “être” verbs: Take the imperfect subjunctive form of “être” (e.g., je fusse, tu fusses, il/elle fût, nous fussions, vous fussiez, ils/elles fussent). Add the past participle of the main verb.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Hypothetical Situations

The Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait is often used to express hypothetical or unreal actions that occurred before another past action.
For example: J’aurais aimé que tu aies fini ton travail avant que je sois arrivé. (I would have liked for you to have finished your work before I arrived.) 

Reported Speech

In reported speech, you may use the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait to convey what someone said or thought in the past. 
For example: Il m’a dit qu’il avait peur que je n’aie pas compris. (He told me that he was afraid that I hadn’t understood.) 

Doubt, Wishes, and Emotions

This tense can also be used to express doubt, wishes, and emotions about past actions. 
For example: Je doutais qu’il eût dit la vérité. (I doubted that he had told the truth.) 
J’aurais souhaité que tu fusses venu. (I would have wished for you to have come.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

Present Subjunctive

The Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait can be used to describe past actions when the main verb is in the present subjunctive. 
For example: “Il faut que j’aie fini mon travail avant que tu partes.” (I must have finished my work before you leave.) 

Imperfect Subjunctive

It’s common to use the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait with the imperfect subjunctive in complex sentences. 
For example: “Il m’avait dit qu’il fût rentré avant la fin de la journée.” (He had told me that he had returned before the end of the day.) 

Conditional

When the main verb is in the conditional mood, the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait can be used to express past unreal conditions. 
For example: “Si j’avais su, j’aurais voulu que tu aies réussi.” (If I had known, I would have wanted you to have succeeded.)

Summary

The Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait is a complex tense used to convey nuanced meanings in French. While its usage may seem intricate, it becomes more intuitive with practice and exposure to the language. It’s important to understand the context in which it’s used, as it often conveys subtleties of time, conditionality, and emotion in French sentences.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb danser. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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